10/06/2009

Tombstone Tuesday: Clarence Melvin Pinkham 1912-2007

The most interesting lesson in looking at my grandfather's tombstone is what's not there now. When his wife Madeleine died in 1976, my then 64 year old grandfather (and thrifty Mainer) had this tombstone made and his name and dates put on it as: 1912-19__. He figured he would never see the next century. Wrong. We had to have the 19 dug out of the stone to properly put in 2007.

Another thing that bugs me genealogically is women who, after marrying, use their maiden name as their middle initial. Very confusing. Madeleine B. stands for Babin, her maiden name. Her full name was Madeleine Rula Babin Pinkham. She was lovely.